Nightmare of the heart
by Little-Firestar84
Summary: Alternate ending to Degeneration. Claire has a nightmare,and when it seems that it's coming true, she understands that,maybe, she has to do soemthing about it,even just say a coupleof words... Leon/Claire. R&R!


This is my first attenpt to a resident evil stpry, because, essentialy, i don't know a single thing about it; a friend of my brother bought him Degenration for his birtday, and i decided to give a look at it,and, after i gave a look at their story on the net, I found quite annoying that Leon and Calire had been so distant in the movie.... and, must of all, i found annoying his "flirting" with Angela (i swear,I couldn't stand her!)... so, sorry if i did soemthng wrong, be nice and r and r!!

* * *

"Leon… let's go diving together again… sometimes." As the thought cop says those words, both Leon and Claire stands still; the former cop from Racoon City stops to walk in direction of the helicopter waiting fir him, and turns towards Angela, facing her: red in face, the woman feels like she was naked in front of him, who is showing no signs of emotions at all.

"Love to" after these 2 words (underlined by something that is the closest he gets to smile), he turns again, leaving the cop once and for all, walking side by side with his long-time friend, Claire, who, hands at her back, bits her lips while walking, looking at any direction but at Angela, who keeps smiling like a 5 years old who has just become a princess from her favourite fairytale, almost jumping and screaming "yes!", and Leon, who, as almost always, looks like an empty page; Claire knows, though, that there was a time in which he was different, she can still remembers clearly him, 10 years prior, a 18 years old already in the force for same miracle. That day, when they met, they were both different, both mentally and physically, back then, they were both kids (hell, she was just 16 years old, a 16 years old who wanted to look like and be an adult), but Racoon, the virus, Umbrella and all changed everything… including the fact that they were supposed to be friends and it's years that they don't see each other; for them, their last meeting seems to have taken place like eons ago, sure, they've always been in contact thanks to texts, phone, mails and e-mails, but face to face… hell, it even took them a good couple of minutes to recognize each other, when he found her at the airport(actually, she was the one who needed more time, since Leon is the one who's been through more changes; he is close to 30 now, and the years and years of training and fighting monsters have transformed his whole figure),and, if she is a little different Claire, Leon is definitely… a brand new Leon.

"Claire, you heard me? – she stops, and turns to look at him, mouth and eyes wide open, not knowing what the hell he is even talking about end not giving a damn about it, since she has just left Claireville to get lost in the Leon's eyes realm – Claire, I asked you if you need a ride."

His sentence wakes her, she suddenly remembers that she isn't alone, that her friends are there, there for her.

"Oh, no, thanks, I've got… there's a limo waiting for me, so, well, I know I don't need one, but thanks anyway, for asking, I mean, I know you weren't supposed to, since your boss could see it as abuse of power, but, well, as I was saying… thanks." She Is panicking, panicking and over-speaking, even Leon can see it, and, well, Leon S. Kennedy knows her from a life, and he hasn't seen her that way, never before.

"Claire, what's up with you? You don't look ok…" Suddenly, she can't stand his questioning look, his arching, questioning eyebrows, his eyes, his blue eyes always able to reveal what's true and what's a lie, his crossed arms, his back against the helicopter… she ash to do it, she ahs to look at her feet. That dream… that dream was too shocking, and even now she doesn't know how she has to feel (shocked? Embarrassed? A mix of both? Something else?). and the chat with Angela? She and Leon exchanged more or less 10 words, and it was all she needed to see her whole world falling into pieces…

_It's the sunset, Angela and Leon are on the seaside; he ash his arms around her hips, luxury fully visible in his eyes; she is on tip-toe, an arm around his neck, while her right hand is busy playing with a lock __of his blonde hair near his left ear; her moth is whispering something in his right ear, while Claire is standing there, in front of him, but it's like she isn't even there, they aren't even aware of her presence. "Oh, Leon…. – Angela moans as Leon starts kissing her neck, exploring her skin under the fabric of her clothes – please, Leon… make love to me now, here…."_

"_Love to" he answers, grinning; as he says so, suddenly, the location changes, and Claire finds herself at Chris' place, sitting on a sofa, while her brother is serving her some tea. _

"_Chris, I… I think….I though I saw Leon kissing Angela, and… and she was begging him to make love to her…" Claire is sobbing, between tears, but her brother is cool and quiet._

"_What's the problem with Kennedy kissing Angela? They're together, they can do whatever they want, even have wild sex… I bet they'll soon get married. – as he speaks, his mobile rings, and Chris answers ,smiling happy – Leon, man, how long! Yeah, I'm fine, I was thinking about you! What, really? Sure that I'll be happy to come to your wedding! You sure are a hell of a spy, especially when it comes to timing… Claire and I were betting about you and Angela getting married! Claire? Claire, you know, my younger sister? Well, I don't blame you, she is easy to forget, such a plain little girl! Ok, then, see you soon at the wedding!"_

"_Leon's getting married with Angela!? But he just met her!"_

"_Love at first sight, sis. Accept the fact that the boy you were head over heels for is a grown-up man who doesn't love you."_

"_But, Chris, Leon and I… we…"_

"_He grew up, you didn't. accept the consequences."_

"_But.."_

"_no buts, sis. Just, grow up and stop to be such a hopeless child!"_

"_I'm not a child- she says, shouting, standing on her foot in front of him, tears in her blue eyes – I faced Umbrella, I fought zombies, I even saved your damn bloody ass!"_

"_But you never faced him, and now you've lost him."_

"Claire, c'mon, what's wrong?" again, he asks her that question, and again he awakes her from Claireville.

"Nothing, Leon, really, I was just…thinking, making plans, the usual stuff." Again she doesn't look at him, again she just mumbles the words, a shade of red appearing on her face. He looks at her, eyebrows arching; he sees the signals, he reads them; she isn't looking at him, she can't stand his eyes, she is even biting her lips; meaning: or she is lying, or she is hiding something from him.

"Claire, I'm a special agent, a secret agent of the government. I've been involved in conspiracies; I know when someone's lying. Damn, you understand that I'm a spy, don't you? Do you understand that there's no way I can buy it?- suddenly, he takes her chin with his left, lowering it so she can look into his blue eyes, his eyes that are seeing tears, sufferance, insecurities and panic – Claire, tell me what's wrong, and I'll try to fix it, I swear. Just, please, tell me the truth…"

"I'm plain, am I not?"

"Sorry, what?" he, for once, dumb to a question.

"I asked you if I'm plain" she is calm now, calm and a little shy; again, she can't stand his eyes on her.

"I know what you asked, it's not like I suddenly lost the ability to understand my own language, I mean, why do you ask?"

"Because…. – she pauses, feeling the desire to turn him her back, but unable to, since Leon is still holding her – because Angela's not."

"Angela's handsome, sure, but what… - suddenly, something starts moving into his brain, and the panic he felt after she started asking strange questions leaves place to an enormous grin – I can't believe it…. Claire Redfield is jealous… jealous of me! – Proud, she can see it, he is proud of the way he makes feel, and this isn't helping, she just want to turn her head in another direction, but even this is hard, with him and his damn hand ion her chin – Claire, you don't have to. You know that you're the only one I like having around."

"Then, why haven't we seen each other in years?" she sound like a 5 years old, a disappointed 5 years old.

"Claire, you know what I do for a living. Besides, we suck at timing." He sounds so sweet, so un-Leon.

"Do the words, Racoon, Zombies and Umbrella ring any bell? And that's just for starting…" the annoyed tone is now gone; Claire seems more angry, and almost ready to face Leon now, but, maybe, it's just because she is using all the Umbrella related stuffs as a defense, and both an attack. After all, what the hell is he even talking about? Is he really assuming that she isn't able to take care of herself? Her? Claire Redfield?

"Claire, please, try to understand me. I really missed you, but I couldn't… I can't…"

"You do? – she says shouting, red eyes, mad as never before with him, hysterical – so you didn't forget about my very existence? Please, Leon, it's me we're talking about, me! Don't make a fool of me with your pathetic excuses, because it's not gonna work! It's me we're talking about, me! You remember me, right? Right? - she is going to repeat all the words she has previously said, all the things she has done, but, suddenly, she looks at him, she looks in his eyes; his eyes are showing sufferance, focused on her, unable to move from her very eyes; she can hear the bit of his heart and the sound of his breathing, usually calculated and calm, now unable to be controlled; she can feels his hands on her, their grip, their sweat on her skin; she hears in hr mind all the things he has just told her, and it's like she is hearing them for the first time, like she is finally understanding them; now it's Claire's turn to be fully focused on him, on his eyes, and, as her own eyes can't leave his ones, she finds them filled with tears, and not tears of sufferance or regret, but of joy, because it's like she is seeing him, the real him, for the first time, and her voice becomes a mere whisper- you… you did miss me… you haven't forget me…. And you'll never will, will you?"

"Are you dumb or what? Of course that I haven't forgotten you and that I'll never will! Is it that hard to believe that I love you and that I've always wanted just to keep you safe?" She can't believe it. Leon is shouting. Leon, the calm, quiet and emotionless Leon S. Kennedy is shouting, hysterical, on the verge of a panic attack, almost crying, and he is doing this – all of this – for her! But this isn't what makes Claire the happiest woman alive, because what it does it's what he recklessly and without any sign of doubt or hesitation does immediately after his "declaration": he kisses her on the lips, suddenly and lustily, his hands on her hips, her ones around his neck, in his hair, lost in the passion, in the need of each other – until another need arrives, the need for oxygen.

"Claire, there's nothing plain about you. And I can assure you that you are hard to forget…" he ends the sentence kissing her sweetly on her forehead, like a firm, like to convince her that he isn't talking about just sex or physical attraction.

"That terrible days in Racoon, I fell for you, you know… - she are still embraced, her head is on his chest, eyes not looking at his face – but I thought… I don't know, it's not that I thought that it was over, but, I don0t know how to explain it, it was there was just you and me, and that we didn't need any word…"

"It was there, but we weren't able to fully see it." at closed eyes, he is resting his chin on her head, inhaling her vanilla and orchid perfume. It's her shampoo, he is almost sure to remember she has already wore it once before.

"I hate you when you're right" again her annoyed 5 years old attitude, but this time mixed with a grin.

"Nah, you don't. you love me – he pauses, grinning widely as only a winner can do – as I do love you" she smiles, inhaling his aftershave, head on his chest, lost in him, so focused on him and their kissing that she just now notices that something's missing.

"Leon… the helicopter is gone… and you're here."

"I know. Let's say that my pilot knows when he has to leave me alone – he pauses, smiling, starting to walk at arm with her in direction of the limo, smiling of a so un-Leonish smile, and, as he suddenly kisses her again, he makes her moan and sobbing, wanting for more – I think I'll have to ask your friends a ride…"

"I'll try to convince them…"she jokes, kissing him sweetly and rapidly on the lips.

"God, Claire, I missed you so much that I'd forget how much I enjoyed having you around. – he pauses, serious again, stopping to walk – I want to be around you more, Claire… a way much more. You're right; you're not a kid anymore, you're a beautiful woman who faced as many obstacles and living nightmares as I did, and you gained the right to fight at my side –he pauses – what I mean, it's that I'll be honoured if you'll want to face this... stuffs … at my side… and… be at my side."

"Leon – she says as she finally looks at him in the eyes, a little maliciously –I think that you've to know that, since I'm in love with you from a long time and I've finally been able to catch you, I don't have the minima idea of letting you go again…. Be ready because I'll be around you for still a long time to come…."

"Good for me, because as I think I've already said, I do love you, and I'm planning to be around for a long time to come…" as he says so, he kisses her again, under the sunlight, as they both smile finally complete, and both of them forget what he told Angela… no one but them exists, and what it matters is just them, and that they've finally been able to face themselves, something that, until now, has been harder tan facing monsters, aliens and un-deads.


End file.
